1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a high speed paddle wheel vessel.
More particularly, the invention relates to a high speed paddle wheel vessel having a specialized paddle arrangement to generate both lift and thrust for the vessel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Very high-speed ship operations are a current interest of the U.S. Navy. There is a desire by the U.S. military to provide a high-speed ocean transport capable of operating over very large distances at speeds in excess of 100 knots. In order to achieve this high-speed operation over large distances, a means of ship drag reduction is necessary. One suitable method is to utilize high-speed supercavitating hydrofoils to lift the ship out of the water. If the foils are properly designed, the total drag of the foils will be significantly less than the ship would experience if driven at the same speed while fully wetted. There are two difficulties with a hydrofoil ship addressed by the current invention. First, a large power plant is required to drive the wetted vessel up to a speed at which it can be elevated out of the water by its hydrofoils. The power required to achieve effective hydrofoil operation is significantly higher than that required to maintain a cruise speed while using the hydrofoils. Second, a propulsion system is needed, which will operate effectively at very high ship speeds.
The following patents, for example, disclose paddle wheel vessels, but do not disclose a high speed paddle wheel catamaran having specialized paddle wheels for generating lift and thrust for the vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,554 to Foglia;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,593 to Birkestrand;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,092 to Price; and
U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,062 to Trecloar et al.
Specifically, Foglia discloses a recreational water craft adaptive to be manually powered by one or more crew members or readily converted form manual power to sail (or supplement by sail) without loss of stability or increase in complexity of operation. This water craft possessed the attributes of a tri-hull and/or catamaran vessel, wherein the crew is supported and operates such vessel from a centrally located platform or main float which is connected to, and flanked on either side by, an outrigger float or pontoon. Each outrigger float is further provided with a vertical extension or riser to which is mounted and independently operated and manually powered paddle wheel. The paddle wheels, upon mounting to the riser, are positioned in the open wells located to the port and starboard sides of the platform and inboard of each of the outrigger floats. The paddle wheels each have a handle or hand grip on their inboard surface, which can be adjusted relative to the axis of rotation of each of such wheel, to accommodate the crew member""s reach and his location on the main float, and thereby modulate the amount of force, and physical exertion, required to rotate the paddle wheel. Insofar as each of the paddle wheels is independently driven, the water craft""s directional movement (steering) is determined by the relative amount of thrust created by rotation of either paddle wheel or by the counter-rotation of each such paddle wheel relative to one another.
The patent to Birkstrand discloses a non sinkable, easily re-rightable aquatic vehicle having a lightweight body with a front, a rear, a bottom and opposite sides and contains a seat for supporting a pilot. A pair of front sheaves are rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the front of the body and a pair of rear sheaves are rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the rear thereof. A first flotation track is engaged around and extends between the front and rear sheaves on one side of the body and a second flotation track is engaged around and extends between the front and rear sheaves on the other side of the body. Each said floatation track includes an endless band engaged around a front and rear sheave and a multiplicity of buoyant flotation treads connected to the band at spaced apart locations therealong to form upper and lower series of flotation treads extending between the associated front and rear sheaves. A pedal drive is mounted to the body for producing an output torque which is coupled to at least one of the sheaves on each side of said body so as to advance the tracks in order to propel the vehicle and brakes are provided to steer and stop the vehicle. A mast and sail may also be mounted to the body in such a way that the mast can be tilted in any direction and rotated about its axis to operate the vehicle under sail with maximum ease and efficiency.
Price discloses a paddle wheel boat having a relatively uniform weight distribution throughout the length of the vessel that maintains a level trim under all operation conditions thereby maximizing the efficiency of the design and operation. This is, in part, accomplished by locating the engine and major transmission drive components inboard of the boat rather than outboard astern, and by location the operation and the rudder assembly at the bow of the boat. Unique features of the invention include the propulsion and steering systems for a boat consisting of a paddle wheel, a frame to attach the propulsion members to the boat and a rudder assembly mounted to the bow of the boat. The paddle wheel can include blades to effect vertical lift secured to angled spokes at an angle radially, inclined or skewed to the axis of rotation of the paddle wheel rather than extending radially from the axis of rotation of the center hubs. The steering system includes the rudder assembly mounted at the bow of the boat and being formed and arranged to pivot freely about a horizontal axis in a vertical direction as well as having a rudder blade which pivots about a vertical axis.
Treloar et al. discloses a lightweight, collapsible boat comprising twin parallel hulls, a frame and human-powered paddlewheels outboard of the two hulls. The boat""s frame is capable of being collapsed and packed into a bundle for carrying as a backpack. The drive comprises a pedal drive for turning a short drive axle that is independently and releasably coupled to paddlewheel driveshafts. The boat is steered by selective engaging and disengaging of the left and right couplings. The frame comprises a steering column, an operator""s seat support, rear hull spacing members and front hull spacing members that support the driveshafts. The couplings can be fully disengaged for releasing the driveshafts and permitting the front spacing members and drivehafts to pivot at the bottom of the steering column.
It should be understood that the present invention would in fact enhance the functionality of the above patents by providing individually rotatable hydrofoil type vanes at an outer edges of rotating cage hubs, thereby defining a unique paddle wheel cage.
Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a propulsion system for a surface vessel.
Another object of this invention is to provide a propulsion system producing both lift and thrust. Still another object of this invention is to provide a propulsion system useful with a catamaran type surface vessel.
Accordingly, there is provided a paddle wheel propulsion system having a hull configuration with a main hull portion, at least one defined cavity area in a lower surface of the main hull, and opposing side pontoons depending from the main hull portion. The depending side pontoons correspond in orientation to a longitudinal axis of the catamaran. A paddle wheel assembly for the vessel includes a rotatable cage hub mounted on each pontoon and a plurality of vane members rotatably mounted between the opposing vane hubs and adjacent an outer perimeter thereof. Each vane member is selectively rotated to one of a lift or thrust position according to an arcuate position thereof as it passes through the water.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a catamaran vessel having a paddle wheel propulsion system having a hull configuration with a main hull portion, at least one defined cavity area in a lower surface of the main hull, and opposing side pontoons depending from the main hull portion. The depending side pontoons correspond in orientation to a longitudinal axis of the catamaran. A paddle wheel assembly for the vessel includes a rotatable cage hub mounted on each pontoon and a plurality of vane members rotatably mounted between the opposing vane hubs and adjacent an outer perimeter thereof. Each vane member is selectively rotated to one of a lift or thrust position according to an arcuate position thereof as it passes through the water.